Michael dillon



(No Model.)

M. DILLON.

SHOE. No; 283,082. Patented Aug. 14, 1883.

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F To all whom it may concern:

. per is, provided on each side with an elastic \UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL DILLON, or NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

, SHOE.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.-283,0 82, dated August 14, 1 883.

I Application filed April 20, 1&3. (No model.)

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL DILLON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic and Lace Combination in GaitenShoes, of which the followin g isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

'This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of shoes in which'the upgore; and the invention consists, essentially, in

I forming a vertical slit or opening in the front 0nd, to prevent or materially lessen the in face of the upper from the top down to a oer: tain defined portion, as hereinafter described 5 in re-enforcing*each side of such slit or open ing; in providing the. flaps with lacing-buttons of peculiar construction, and with a hook or hooks at their topends for securing the ends of the laces, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a shoe constructed according to my improvements. Fig.2 represents the upper part of the front face of the upper with the flaps open and provided with a double lacing. Fig. 3 represents a similar view with the flaps closed. Fig. 4 represents the upper provided with a single lacing and with the flaps open, and Fig. 5 represents a similar view with the flaps closed. Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of one of the lacing buttons, Fig. 7, a side elevation of the lace-retaining hook, and Fig. 8 a similar viewofthe hook with the lace end engaged therewith.

The object of this invention is to overcome various serious objections to' the use of the side elastic Congress-gaiter shoe-viz., first, the difficulty many persons experience in putting on and taking off I the same, owing to the clinging of the elastic around the ankle; secjurious compressing or binding of the elastic around the leg, whichoften impedes the free circulation of the blood and causes irritation of the ankle in warm weather and cold feet.

during the winter months; third, in preventing the crimp on the back of the shoe fitting too closely, and thereby injuring the tendons and eventually leaving callous spots, not easily removed; fourth, preventing the stretching ,1 out of the gore before the shoe is worn out,

to the instep or portion where the natural T bend of the foot will be located when the shoe is in use.

E represents a re-enforcing strip or strips attached to each side of the flaps F- Gr represents the lacing-buttons, which, according to my improvement, have spherical or other shaped heads, and havea circular orifice or hole, H, extending therethrough,"

through which the lace is passed, as shown. These buttons maybe of any desired number, but I find that three or four on each flap is amply sufficient to secure an opening that will relieve the elastics from tension when the shoe V is being withdrawn from or placed 011 the foot. While a shoe of this construction may be provided with the ordinary lacing-hooks, still I find it far preferable to employ thebuttons G, shown in the drawings, as by means thereof the laces I, when once strung, need never be removed from the shoes. Consequently the friction thereon is sensibly diminished,

and they will last longer than they would were 7 the ordinary lacing-hooks employed. When it is desired to use the lace I-doubled', as in Figs.

l 2, 'and3, I clamp eyelets J through the lower part of the re-enforce E and the upper at that part, and pass the lace through the same and through the holes in the buttons. The two ends of the lace are then knotted to prevent their passage through the buttons when the flaps are pulled open. When it is desired to close the flaps a simple pull upon the ends of T the lace will tighten the same and draw the flaps close together, as shown in Fig. 3. The lace ends can then be suitably tied together or slipped within a hook, K, attached to the upper end of either or both of the flaps F.

In lieu of employing a double cross-lacing I 5 through. The upper'end of the lace can then be secured within ahook, K, as shown in Fig. 5. To release the flaps, the upper end of the lace is released from the hook K and said flaps pulled apart, a knot formed 011 the upper end IO of the lace preventing the passage of said upper end through the upper button, as in the previously-described arrangement.

The lace draws evenly from the bottom with a very slight pull, and it can therefore be called a draw-string. The opening in front of the upper avoids the difficulty heretofore experienced in this class of shoe in putting 011 and taking off, and renders these operations very easy. The binding on the ankle is also overcome, as it can be laced tight or loose to suit the wearer, and if the shoe bears tightly 011 the tendons, it can be readily eased by loosening the lace. The front opening relieves the shoe of the frequent strain on the gore in puting 011 and taking off the shoe, thereby avoiding the constant stretching of the gore and allowing the same being used for a greater length of time. The opening may be made either at the center or at the side of the upper, as desired, or as occasion may require.

By the construction above described vI am enabled to use the shoe either as an ordinary Congress gaiter oras a lace shoe, as by tightening the lacing and securing the end or ends thereof the shoe can be drawn upon and removed from the foot by simply distending the elastic gores, as in ordinary Congress gaiters, in which case the lacing will not be interfered with or used, while by loosening the lacing the shoe can be removed from and placed upon the foot without distending the elastic gores,

and in such a use the elastic gores would be relieved from their customary functions, the shoe being retained in position on the foot by the tightening of the lacing, and adapted 5 to be removed therefrom without straining the elastic by simply loosening the lacing.

I am aware that shoe-uppers have been provided with strips of elastic material and with a slit and means for lacing the flaps together, but I am not aware of any shoe of a construction similar to that herein shown and described, whereby the same is interchangeably adapted for use as either a lace or elastic shoe, as desired. 5 5

I am also aware that it is not new to construct a lacing-button with a circular orifice or hole extending therethough, and such I do not claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim therein is- 1. A shoe-upper having an elastic gore, B, 011 each side, a slit or opening, D, extending from. the top of said upper down to the instep, and having re-enforce E, having eyelets J, and 65 buttons G, having circular orifice or hole H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. As an improvement in Congress gaiters, the shoe herein described, having its upper provided with elastic side gores, B,- central slit or opening, D, extending from the top down to the instep, and provided with flaps F,'having re-enforce E, buttons G, having central hole or passage, H, hook, K, and lace I, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL DILLON.

Titnesses: J osErH D. ILUNKETT, HU H DAILEY. 

